BUNSEN, loons'en, Cu RISTIA N KARL JOSIAS, Baron (Ii 91. 1860). A German scholar and di plomatist. He was born August 25, 1791, at Icor bad'. in the Principality of Waldeck, and studied philology at Gottingen under Heyne. lie taught in the Latin school there and was private tutor to W. C. Astor, of New York, with whom lie traveled in Germany in 1813. To extend his knowledge of the Teutonic tongues. Bunsen went to Holland and afterwards to Copenhagen. The work and character of Niebuhr (q.v.) aroused his enthu siasm, and be spent some months of 1815 in Ber lin in the company of the historian. In 1816 he went to Paris, and studied Persian and Ara bic under Sylvestre de Sacy, and in the same year removed to Rome. where he married. Nie buhr, then Prussian Ambassador, took the great est interest in the scientific pursuits of Bunsen, and procured (ISIS) his appointment as secre tary to the embassy. While Frederick William was in Rome in 1822, he formed a favorable opinion of Bunsen's ability and character, and requested him to continue in the State service. On Niebuhr's departure from Rome (1824), Bun sen conducted the embassy provisionally for a time, and was then appointed Minister 11827). Living in intimate intercourse with Niebuhr, Bunsen had employed the time in prose cuting his investigations into this philosophy of language and religion, and had made, on the one hand, the philosophy of Plato and the eonstitu lions of antplity, and, on the other, biblical in quiries. Chureh history, and liturgies, objects of special attention. Though not within the scope of the great plan of his life, he contributed large ly to the Bcsehreibung der Stadt Rom (3 1830.43) the greater part. of the topographical communications on ancient Ilione, and all the in vestigations into the early history of Christian Rome. The first visit of the Egyptologist Chain pillion (q.v.) to Rome formed an epoch in Bunsen's antiquarian studies. He became him self a zealous auditor of Champollion, and also encouraged Lepsius (q.v.) in the study of hiero glyphics. The Arclueological Institute, estab lished in 1829, found in Bunsen its most active supporter. lie founded the Protestant hospital on the Tarpeian Rock in 1835. During his resi
dence in Rome he contributed largely to the re vision of the Lutheran liturgy.
In 1341 Bunsen was sent on a special mission to London and was shortly afterwards appointed Ambassador at the English Court. In Berlin. in 1844, he was asked to set forth his views on the question of granting a constitution to Prus sia : and he presented a series of memorials repre senting the need of a deliberative assembly, and also made a plan of a constitution modeled on that of England. In the Schleswig-Dolstein question. Bunsen strongly advocated the German view, in opposition to Denmark. and protested against the London protocol of 1850. although he was prevailed upon to sign that of 1352 respect ing the succession in Denmark and Schleswig Holstein. In the midst of all his political duties, Bunsen continued unabated his literary and phil osophical pursuits, the results of which appeared from time to time. Because he differed from his Government as to the part Prussia should take in the Eastern Question (q.v.), Bunsen ceased in 1854 to represent Prussia at the Court of Eng land, and retired to Heidelberg. He had a deep appreciation of English national characteristics. In England he was regarded by those who knew him as the most philosophical and most reverent of lay theologians. His chief works are: De lure AthenienSiillit Mercditario (1813): Dic Icirrhe der Zukunft (translated into English, and published by Longman, 1345) ; Ignatius von Antioehicn mind seine Zcit (1847); Die drci cchten and die vier unrchten Briefe des Ignatius von Antiochien (1847) ; Aegyptcns ,Stolle in der Welt geschichte (translated into English by Cot trell. 1845-47) : Die Basiliken des christlichen Thins (1843); Hippolytus and seine Zeit (1851); Christianity and Mankind ( 1854 ) : Gott in der Geschichte (1857) ; and T'olistondiges Bibel werk fiir die Geozcinde (9 vols., 1858-70). This Bunsen hoped to make his chief work, but he only completed the first, second, and fifth vol umes, the others being from his notes by Holtz mann and Kamphausen. Bunsen was created a baron in 1857, and died in Bonn. November 28, 1St10. Consult .t .1/enfofr of Baron Bunsen, by his wife (London. 186S).